A Brave New World
by Veralix
Summary: After an unknown event transpires, Lukas finds himself disorientated, weak, and broken. He is taken to a hospital where he is treated but met with a fate he never wanted, nor thought possible. He's a Riolu. Follow him on his journey to find a way home and protect himself from all those aiming for his capture. Rated T for swearing and depictions of bloody scenes. (Not PMD based)
1. Prologue Part 1 - A Painful New World

**Before we start, I would like to say that this'll be my second story that I started and I'm hoping to keep up with both of them equally. I'll probably update both on the same day or in a short amount of time from each other when I'm free.**

 **Welcome to** **A Brave New World** **! This story is about the oh so common transportation to another world genre that I'm sure everyone has heard or seen before. We follow our main character around on his adventure in a new body and a new place where he attempts to adjust and not die a tragic death.**

 **This FF is rated [T] for use of swears and somewhat graphic descriptions.**

 _Italics_ is for thoughts, psychic speech, and to show emphasis. **Bold** is for beings like legendaries and for author notes/time and place. Underline is for speech over a radio or device.

 **Also, forgive any inaccuracies in this first part, but I'm sure that in a different world, they do things differently, but if that excuse doesn't work, then I'll just say that I'm not a medical specialist.**

 **Without further explanation, let's just jump in.**

 **I don't own pokémon or any of the creatures/characters created by Nintendo.**

* * *

"Two more dead… Checking terminal A…"

"Found another… Pinned under concrete. Dead."

"HEY! There's… alive over here!"

I groaned. My ears were ringing and my head felt like it was tearing in two. I couldn't open my eyes and the only thing I felt upon my body was pressure and pain. I struggled, thinking myself to be dying.

"Shit, he's moving around. We need to get the beam off him! Gimme a sedative, we need to get him to stop moving!"

"Response! This is team three in terminal A! We have a survivor. Wounded heavily and trapped under a beam. Need sedatives."

"Understood, response three. Administer aid and do what you can… Tools and paramedics are…"

The scuffling of feet was heard around me through the ringing. Voices were mumbling back and forth and I felt a small amount of pressure in various places on my body.

"Para… where is team three!"

"Over here!"

A new set of feet reached my ears and hollow thuds resounded next to my head.

"Administering sedative. Grab the jack and get some people on the beam."

A sharp prick was felt on my arm and everything started to fade from my senses. I didn't dream, didn't think, I couldn't understand. What was going on? It was hard to discern the voices and what they were saying. Was I dying? Why? What's going on–

"...Pulse is lessening… bruised chest… possibly broken rib… right arm dislocated… a considerable amount of trauma to the head… left wrist broken–"

Whatever I had been lying on lurched forward and a large bang was heard. A liquid erupted from my mouth and I felt my neck and chest become covered with it.

"Hemorrhagic! Internal bleeding and pulse dropping! Call into the hospital and get a ton of blood bags ready! Type GRI!"

"We gotta put him back under. Administering sedative."

The same sensation of a dull prick was felt on my arm and once again, everything faded. Hemorrhagic? I was coughing up blood? What happened to me? What was I doing again…? I was… going on a train with my friend… right? I think we were going to go to the new store on the south side or something… But… what happened? Why does everything hurt?

"He's still bleeding internally and his rib needs to be set in place! We have to perform surgery!"

"He might go critical!"

"He might die instead!"

"Fine! Get the kit!"

I groaned once again and pain once again wracked my body with a vendetta. I struggled to try to escape the burning sensation that covered me.

"Hey, he's awake again! Get the class C sedative or he'll wake up during the procedure!"

"Damn, he's really resilient."

"Yeah, he's going to need that."

I head glass clink off to my left and a prick was felt on my arm once again. Everything faded once again, yet this time, I couldn't think as I slowly descended into nothingness and my thoughts were replaced with blank space. Questions would have filled that space if not for the darkness overtaking my mind and rendering me unconscious.

I couldn't tell how much time had passed, but it felt like a long time when I was finally able to hear again. What came forth was people talking from what seemed like a television.

"…Four days since the attack on the subway that caused the death of thirty-four people with fifty-seven others injured. Investigators are currently searching the scene for any evidence. They were able to find around seven bombs planted in various terminals throughout the station which caused massive structural damage, making the ceiling cave in and roads decimated. Responsibility for the bombing was claimed by the notorious group, Team–"

The voice disappeared and I heard something plastic drop onto another plastic object. I was now able to notice multiple clacks of what I assumed were heels on the floor to my left.

"He is conscious, but it seems he is unresponsive. Both procedures and the sedative should leave him quite groggy for a few hours."

"He should be able to hear us now. He might just be tired or in pain."

"All his readings seem to be all good. Check his senses."

The shuffle of clothes and clack of shoes made their way over to me. The snap of fingers perforated my left ear and I felt something on my head move. The same thing happened to my right to the same effect.

"Hearing is a check. Check the dilation of his pupil."

A metal sound was heard and a click moments after. My eye opened for the first time since the event. I squinted at the man that was touching my eye. He gasped and shock and stumbled back, laughing moments later.

"Damn, he scared me."

"Is he awake?"

"Yeah, he's awake."

The ceiling was pale and dotted with indents. I found it hard to tilt my neck as there was something restricting it leaving the only thing in view to be what I assumed was a monitor on my right and the ceiling. I assumed that they realized my struggle by the way they responded.

"Ah, let's get you comfortable. Wait a moment there."

 _It's not like I can actually move at all._

The object beneath me lifted and I was able to see a small television and a cast encasing my leg and being propped up by a nylon loop hanging from the ceiling. I tried to glance over to my right but my vision was seemed restricted somehow.

"That's better right?"

I attempted to nod only to be restricted once again by what I assumed was a neck brace.

"I wouldn't try to move or strain yourself. You're pretty lucky to be alive."

A man in a short white coat stepped into my view and set down a tray at the end of my bed. He turned over to me and I was able to get a better look at him. He wore a blue undershirt and light brown pants. His hair was graying from a dark brown color and his eyes were of a light blue hue.

"I'm Doctor Simon. I was assigned to you after your surgery. And this is my assistant, Nurse Lilly."

The woman who I assumed was Lilly stepped out next to Simon and gave a small wave. She had relatively the same attire, but she was slightly smaller. Her hair was a dark brown and it was cut short. Her eyes were of relatively the same color.

"From what we saw, your quite the little survivor."

 _Little survivor? What am I, a kid?_

"You were able to fight off your injuries and even resist two separate sedatives on top of that." He glanced at the floor for a second before continuing. "Well, there were some issues… but you're fine now. You had a puncture in your abdomen that caused internal bleeding. We had to remove the metal that was left inside. Your right shoulder was dislocated, nothing too bad, right leg was broken at the shin and your left wrist was fractured."

I glanced at the cast that was hanging in front of me then to the cast that lied on my left. However, something rested there that I didn't understand. A blue-furred paw rested inside of a cast with the arm leading right back to me. I glanced back at the two thinking it to be a joke to lighten the mood.

"We're sorry about that, but that'll probably stay on there for another two weeks or so."

 _But what about the FUR that is on my ARM._

Simon shuffled his feet looking guilty but continued. "Your spinal cord was bruised forcing us to put you in a neck brace. It shouldn't stay as long as the cast, though. Two of your ribs were fractured so we had to fix that. You probably shouldn't strain yourself for risk of injury."

Lilly tried to smile. "Your quite lucky to be alive, little Riolu."

 _Riolu…? What are they…? Why is this…? What's happening?_

I looked between the two of them expecting one of them to break and tell me it was fake. Neither of them met my eyes with the emotion I needed. They simply looked at me apologetically.

 _Riolu? Riolu? What do they mean? They're fake! I can't be one! What is this!_

"Woah! Slow down there! Hold– Nurse, he's going into shock! We need another sedative!"

The bed shook as I attempted to get up. Pain wracked my body, fighting against me, but I didn't care.

 _This has to be a dream!_

Yet, I knew it wasn't. A dream couldn't be this real. A dream couldn't replicate pain like this. But I don't think that I can accept it.

I felt the fourth syringe go into my arm and I slowly lost my ability to move until I couldn't keep my eyes open. I once again drifted into darkness. As the drug overtook me. A Riolu…? What is going on? Some elaborate joke? What's happening to me? Why is it happening to me?

My question went unanswered and still raged rampant through my head as I finally awoke. The television was on again and it was displaying some sort of cartoon. I looked down to find the scene was still the same. My… paw… was resting in a cast and my other arm over the sheet with what I assumed was an IV needled into it.

"…Awake again… Hope that he can with the new news."

"It's fine, we already… through the IV…"

The door opened on my left and Simon and Lilly walked back into the room, both glancing at me. Lilly was directing a cart into the corner where she began moving around tools and a something else.

Simon turned to me. "Hey, Riolu. Sorry about earlier… but we had to do it. I just want to clear it up before we start that you can hurt yourself if you… do that again. And none of us want that."

Simon glanced over at Lilly who was now out of my field of view. "We never finished telling you everything, so I thought it would be a good idea to continue… As you already know, your wrist and leg were fractured and your arm dislocated. Your spinal cord was bruised around the middle of your neck… and you sustained heavy injuries to your skull… Lastly… we– uh… suspect that stray rubble or a metal rod… may have hit your right eye. The damage will likely be permanent causing your right eye to go… blind. You will also sport a scar across it… We're sorry but we were unable to repair the damage."

I stared blankly at the man. Now, with the effects of the drug wearing off, I noticed that my vision, though sharper, was also heavily restricted. I began to feel a paper material on my face wrapping around my head.

 _Why… Why me? Why at all?_

I would probably be bedridden for a few weeks and hospitalized for a few months… and I'm a Riolu with a blind eye. I stared at the man with an unknown emotion before tears began to appear and roll down the left side of my face.

"We'll leave you be for now… Nurse, can you please give him the tray?"

A stand was set up over me and a tray was dropped onto the stand and the two walked back out of the door. The television was once again turned on as I looked down at the tray. Sitting atop it was what I assumed were poffins. What the two had assumed would console me only made me feel more dread. I stared at the pokémon treats with tears brimming in my eyes before feeling sleep overtake me.

It was morning when I finally woke up. Sun was filtering in through the curtains and shining on my bandaged face. The tray that I hadn't eaten had been taken while I was asleep and the television was showing a news channel meaning that the channel had been changed.

"…was apprehended recently for questioning about the attack five days ago. So far, he hasn't answered any questions and the rest of the terrorist group is still at large. One of the gravely injured pokémon, a Luxio, is currently in a critical condition. His trainer gave us a statement on the matter..."

The door opened again to reveal Lilly pulling in a cart with poffins on the top. I cringed slightly as it made me think of my predicament.

"How're you doing there, Riolu? I've got something for you to eat here along with a water bottle, just so you don't spill anything on yourself."

She pulled the stand over my bed and set it down on top.

"Let's get you more comfortable there, why don't we?"

Lilly pulled my encased leg off of the loop and set it down. She stepped off to my right where I couldn't see her and my bed began to rise slowly, folding into a lie-down chair.

"There we are. That's better, right?" She paused to sit down next to me. "Doctor Simon says you should be clear to take off your neck brace and had bandages tomorrow. You seem to be recovering quite quickly even for most pokémon."

I looked over at her.

"Aren't you going to eat? You must be hungry. Although, be sure to go slow. We're not sure if everything on the inside has healed properly."

I glanced at her then back at the poffins, grimacing slightly.

"Y'sure you don't want them? I mean, they're pretty good. Even I'd have a few."

I raised my one visible brow. To prove her point, she grabbed one and took a bite, flinching slightly at the taste.

"Okay… maybe not. But I've never seen a pokémon that doesn't like poffins… or every poffin."

 _But I'm not a pokémon..._

She looked me in the eyes for a few seconds before sighing.

"Alright… I really didn't want to give this to you, but I made myself a sandwich for lunch. I'll just buy from the cafeteria today."

She took the poffins off of the tray and threw the one she took a bite out of into the trash that was across the room. She looked back at me smiling at her accomplishment. Her eyes were met with a blank stare.

She gave me an exasperated sigh. "Ugh, you're no fun."

She fished a baggie out of the bag below the cart and sat back down next to me. She took the sandwich out of the bag and placed it on the tray.

She smiled at me. "There you are."

The sandwich was a simple cheese and some white meat in the middle with multiple layers.

"It's a cheese and Tarous sandwich. A little simple, but it's good enough."

I attempted to open my mouth to show the neckbrace restricting my movements. I looked back over to see if she got the message.

"Oh… Well, I guess we can undo the first strap during meals."

She leaned over and pulled off the strap and sat back down.

"Does this mean you would have eaten the poffins…?"

With slightly more room to move, I shook my head.

"Ah, it's good that I didn't do that for nothing…"

I reached out for the breaded meal. She watched me intently as I took a small bite, looking back and forth between her and the sandwich.

"Y'know, my kids always used to watch this show."

I looked up at the television to see a boy flying through the sky with multiple elements splashing off of him.

"I forgot what it was called. Something like Kid Here…? Or Superkid? I don't know, but whenever I got home, they would always be looking at the screen and this thing would be on. I would ask them if they had done their homework, and they would usually say yes."

Lilly laughed for a moment. "Actually, on time, I came home to find that Jeremy, my youngest hadn't actually done it. I told him he couldn't watch and unplugged it. The two of them went on strike. They ended up putting plastic bags on the Purloin with little messages inside. She would run around frantically trying to get it off."

She paused, wracking with giggles. "It even got so bad, one time, they did the same thing, but she ended up jumping on my husband and he ran around the house yelling and flailing his arms with her crawling all over him like a crazed jockey."

Lilly sighed and looked over at me. I was staring at my paws which were now empty, the sandwich being long gone.

"Was it good?"

I gave a short nod and she smiled. She looked up to something that was outside my view on the right.

"Shoot! Sorry, Riolu, but I have to go. If you need anything, press the button… on your… right armrest… Huh, we really didn't think about that. Just feel around for it."

And with that, she grabbed her cart and wheeled it outside, leaving the water bottle and tray behind. And with that, I was left alone, only with my thoughts and the television to keep me company.

.-∆-:-∆-:-∆-.

Morning came the next day with nothing eventful happening beforehand. Lilly came in with a bagel she had prepared at home. She talked to me for a little bit in the attempt to entertain me, and it worked somewhat. We ended up watching 'The Incredible Kid', as we had recently learned it was called, for a few hours before Simon entered the room.

He pressed through with a few objects on a cart that I was unable to discern.

"Hey there, Riolu. You're finally gonna get those bandages and that neck brace off today. But first," Simon carted his tools next to me and grabbed a small black cylinder. "We need to see that you're doing okay. Open your eye really wide for me, please."

I complied and he shined the flashlight into my eye.

"Alright… normal dilation and I don't see any clouding. We weren't sure if your eye had been infected from the incident." He paused to swap into a small crescent-like object. "Now, can you present your right paw for me?"

I once again complied and he held onto my paw before putting what would have been my index finger into the crescent. A sharp pain was felt and my arm tensed.

"Sorry about that, we needed a sample to test for anything unordinary and to put you into a file."

 _A file…? They probably just need it to document the incident._

"We probably won't need to do much more just yet, so why don't we take those off? A little help, Nurse?"

The two of them undid the straps that bound the neckbrace in place. They pulled it off and I relished in the ability to actually move my head. I inspected myself to find the majority of my midsection was covered in scars that showed slightly through the fur that now coated my body. A large one ran vertically across my stomach where I assume they had rearranged my insides.

It was more than a little disorientating to view what was not the body I had lived with for so long. I examined myself with thoughts running rampant before Lilly pulled me back.

"Now, let's get those bandages off next."

The bandages that had been wrapped around my eye and the top of my head were unwound. They were slightly bloody, but it had long since dried. Lilly gathered them all and threw them into the trash before sitting back down.

She smiled at me. "That's better, right?"

I nodded slowly to the two.

Simon readjusted his glasses. "Everything seems to be fine, but I would like to ask you something. Your eye, though it is blind, is also still intact. If you want, we can replace it with a fake eye, or keep it there."

I paused for a moment before placing my paw over the no longer functional eye.

"You want to keep it?"

I nodded.

He sighed. "Alright. I would have made the same decision. Something doesn't really sit right with me about fake eyes ya' know? They always just…" He paused for a moment and grabbed at his own eye. "Fall out."

He held in his hand a glass eye. His right eyelid was shut and I stared at him incredulously. He laughed and opened up his lidded eye.

Simon spoke with his words punctuated by small laughs. "I'm sorry, but I got just the reaction that I wanted out of that." He took a moment to collect himself. "This is the eye that I was going to show you as a reference. Here, you can hold it."

He held out the glass object for me and I slowly reached for it. Rolling it back and forth between my pads, I looked back up at him. I held it in the center of my forehead and gave a small smile. I was received with a light laugh from the two.

Simon looked up, his expression turning serious. "I suppose that you might want to see yourself."

He paused looking back to me. I hesitated before nodding slowly. Simon grabbed a square mirror off of his cart and handed it off to me. The reflection that looked back at me was surreal. What started back was a little Riolu with a dark mask that covered from the nose to the ears. Two spikes protruded below the eyes which held red irises. A large white and pink gash and a smaller one tore across its right eye reaching its cheek. The eye sporting said scars was a cloudy grey and white signifying blindness. The top of its head was slightly crusted with dried blood where it had been hit on the head in the incident.

I dropped the mirror onto the bed and stared at the sheets in disbelief. This Riolu that I saw was me. I may not know how or why, but I was dealt a hard hand and forced into this situation. Even if my other questions can't be answered… I just want to know why.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to find Lilly's empathetic eyes meeting my own eye. Tears began to form and I fell back against the pillow.

"We'll give you some time to process everything..."

I heard the chairs move and footsteps began to sound. The door closed behind the clack of heels and left me alone with only a mirror and my depressive thoughts. Covering my face, I simply cried.

* * *

 **I've been checking over everything with Grammarly, but if there is anything that you notice that isn't grammatically correct or doesn't look right, leave a comment. (And I know that I'm capitalizing the names of pokémon species.)**

 **Welp, that's all for now. I'm thinking of slowing down Another Chance and uploading this and Another Chance on Sundays with a larger amount of words for each chapter for both. (However, there might be more updates for this one.) My schedule will be clearing up soon so I'll be able to post more and add length after next week when midterms are over.**

 **Welp, that's all folks. Wish me luck, and I'll try to complete the next chapter sooner than the last few weeks' schedules.**


	2. Prologue Part 2 - Who Am I?

**Well, here it is. Chapter two is out. Just a quick thanks to the people who already loved and favorited. There was only one chapter out, so it's nice to know that you liked it.**

 **Anyways, I don't have much to say, so '** _ **let's just jump in**_ ' **.**

* * *

"Alright, Riolu, we're going to go walk around outside for a bit."

I heard Lilly pull back the curtains on my right and light showered through the room. I looked over to her, squinting.

She threw her hands up with an exasperated sigh. "You can't stay asleep the entire day. C'mon, I'll even wheel you around."

She gestured to a wheelchair that was brought in earlier. I looked at her and huffed.

"Fine, You can use a crutch if you want, but I don't want you putting weight on that leg yet. Now let's get you ready."

Lilly pulled my leg off of the overhang and grabbed a small metal crutch off of the back of the wheelchair. She picked me up off of the bed with a grunt and set me down, handing me the crutch. I huffed again and stared at her.

"Well come on! Let's go!"

She led me out the door and I hobbled my way out the room. She gestured for me to follow and we walked down the hallway which was filled with various hospital staff. Some were running around with a sense of urgency and others were simply strolling about. Some were directing around pokémon just like Lilly, but they were the few. We reached an elevator and we walked in, accompanied by another nurse. We stopped at the third floor and the nurse got out. Three more floors down, and we made it to some sort of entertainment area.

The main lobby was filled with various tables and couches. Televisions were set up everywhere and there were a few board games going around. A room off to the left held a sort of gym with weights, courses, and general recreational equipment. An incredibly large pool was situated next to it. The furthest room seemed to be some sort of cafeteria. Off to the right was a doorway that led to what seemed to be a park. The entire area was all filled with only pokémon and hospital staff.

The sight was disorientating to me. Pokémon weren't supposed to be real, yet here they were, walking, talking, breathing, and eating. I looked up at Lilly and she gave me a reassuring smile. I attempted to return it, but it was in vain. She gave me a pat on the shoulder and gestured for me again. I nodded slowly.

She walked towards the door leading to the park and I hobbled to follow. She pressed a button on the door and guided me outside. Following her, I covered my eyes as they adjusted to the light. Many pokémon of all sizes were occupying the large space, running around or interacting with others. Letting my arm fall, I looked up at Lilly.

"So what do you want to do? Do you want to just walk around, or maybe go find a friend?"

I pointed to an unoccupied bench that rested off to the left.

She sighed. "Or we can just sit down."

We made our way over and had to dodge a few canine pokémon as they ran past. Settling down I looked around, grimacing slightly.

"What's wrong? Is your leg an issue?"

I glanced at her before looking back down and shaking my head slowly.

"What is it then?"

I looked out at all of the pokémon running around and then at myself. I held up my two… paws. One was still encased in plastic partially hiding my troubles while the other stood in full view. I looked back at Lilly and she gave me another smile.

 _It's not like she would understand. How could she? A human not only from another world but turning into a pokémon?_

The whole idea is even hard for me to grasp even now. Looking at myself is hard to do knowing for that all of my life, I was human, but now I'm a fictional creature in a fictional world.

Lilly sighed and sat straight. "Fine, you don't have to tell me or show me, but you can't be sad all the time. C'mon, we're gonna get you to have some fun. Ever played any board games before?"

I nodded slowly.

"Then we're going to play one. C'mon."

Sighing, I let her lead me back inside. She set me down at a table and went off to a corner holding a bunch of boxes. She came back with a box with art depicting two pokémon clashing with two attacks. She set it down and set it up while I watched, somewhat intrigued. She began to lay out the board and set some pieces down on the same side on opposite ends.

"Let's give it a go. I'll teach you how."

Lilly taught me how to play and I started to get the hang of things. I forgot about my surroundings and we just played the game. That was until she made a proposal.

"How about a little wager?"

I felt something twitch on the top of my head and I looked up at her.

She smiled. "If you can win this next game, I'll get you an ice cream. If I win, I get to tell you to do one thing for me."

My ear twitched again.

 _These are some high stakes here._ I rested my head on my hand in mock thought. _But I'm pretty sure that you have forgotten the concept of 'beginners luck'._

I gave a wisened nod and she laughed.

"Alright, it's a deal."

She said as she held out her hand to which I shook. She set up the board and shot me a cocky grin. However, a few minutes later and she was clutching her head staring at the board.

"Well… it's my loss. I've never been beaten that badly… Y'know what, double or nothing. You get to pick your ice cream if you win."

I gave her a cheeky grin and nodded. She set up the board again, this time with concentration glued to her face and a complicated strategy forming. However, her plans were unraveled and victory was claimed once again. I grinned at her as she struggled to process.

"Well… I guess you're getting an ice cream of your choosing…"

In the cafeteria, there was a chain type vendor called Vanillisious. It had a decent line even with two windows. I looked up at the menu, carefully planning my execution. The line shortened and my time came. A woman was busy fiddling with the register behind the counter.

"Welcome to Vanillisious, how may I take your order." She glanced over at us before calling over her shoulder. "Brie, swap."

I laughed slightly, thinking of the cheese, but also masking my nervousness. A Gothorita replaced the woman and I froze up even more than I had before. I stared at her as she began to speak.

" _Sorry about that, what can I get you?_ "

My eye stood suspended and my blood froze. My pulse hastened and looked down at my hands which seemed to shake. My vision began to waver and tunnel. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up.

Lilly's voice began to come into clarity. "...What's wrong!?"

I looked down at myself once more. Emotion overcame me, and I dropped the crutch and ran. I don't know where I went, I don't know what else I did… I couldn't discern anything, I couldn't think. I just ran. Hallways rushed passed as a blur and I ran through the unchanging scenery.

I found myself in a corner, huddled and breathing heavily. No one was nearby as I stared at the floor clutching myself.

It scared me. More than anything else. I hadn't talked for that one reason. No one would understand me, right? Except for pokémon. But if only they could, that would only make me less human. The thought of talking at all was something I didn't want for fear that through it, how could I still call myself… anything of what I was?

 _I'm Shawn… I'm thirteen… I live with my mom and dad and sister, I… have… light brown hair… I…_

The more I looked at myself, the more scared I felt. I couldn't describe myself as any of these because they didn't exist. My family doesn't exist in this world. I– Shawn… doesn't exist in this world. So what does that make me?

Looking at myself now, the only thing I can do is come to terms with it. I'm… not human… at least, not anymore. I can't be Shawn, right? Shawn doesn't exist here. So then who am I?

"Riolu!"

I looked up to find Lilly running towards me at speeds that would make a cheetah… or some speed based pokémon jealous. She barreled into me with an embrace, rocking me back and forth and petting my head, to my grudging approval.

"Oh please don't run off again! I didn't know where you were! I didn't know what happened to you!" She pulled me back and looked at me. "Are you okay…?"

I looked down at myself once more. Looking back up I nodded slowly.

She sighed and embraced me again. "What was wrong, was it the Gothorita?"

I shook my head against her shoulder.

 _I mean… she might have been involved in it, but the problem is me…_

"Then what was it? Do you not want to talk to anyone?"

 _Partially… but I think that with a lack of speech able to go between us, it'll be hard to say why._

"So that's it? Well… I don't think I'll be able to understand, but we have some people that could help you out if you would like. Would you like that?"

I shook my head, _I'll be fine… I hope..._

"Oh yeah… I got you an ice cream."

I felt my ears twitch and I wriggled against her.

Lilly giggled and released me. "All right, all right! I give. You can have it."

She held out to me a cone of vanilla and gave it to me. I looked at her with a pouting eye.

"Well, if you didn't run off, I coulda got you something better."

Huffing, I began to finally eat my spoils of war.

Lilly sighed and smiled at me. "Come on, I'll take you back to the room."

She stood up and handed me my crutch. I grabbed it and she guided me back up to my room as I continued to make progress on my prize.

.-∆-:-∆-:-∆-.

"Good news, Riolu, we can start taking off those casts around lunch time. And only nine days after being brought in, too."

I looked back from the television that Lilly and I had been watching.

 _I finally get these stupid things off? Took long enough._

Lilly noticed the annoyance that marked my face and laughed. I glanced over at her and huffed. I gestured to her and the television in an attempt to get back at her.

"Yeah, I'm watching a kids show. I do this every day. I've got kids and you to watch, and how am I supposed to spend time with you guys if I can't do what you're doing?"

I rolled my eye and looked away to which she laughed more at.

Simon grinned from his panel in the corner. "You two seem to be getting along. Alright, Riolu…" Simon tapped on the tablet and walked over to me. "Let's see that arm of yours."

I held out my arm and Simon began to remove the cast. He pulled it from my arm and placed it in a waste bin beside him. Still holding my arm, he began to examine it with a device that looked similar to a metal detector that I sometimes saw at an airport.

"You seem mostly good… That right there is going to take some time… but you're alright for the most part. Now for your leg…"

He undid the cast around my leg and peeled it off. He threw it into the same waste bin and began to metal detect my leg this time.

"Your leg seems mostly fine too… so we should be able to keep the cast off for good, now." Simon stowed the fancy metal detector and wheeled over a cylindrical machine. "Alright, one more thing, we have to do one more scan then we'll be good. Put your arm inside, please."

I complied and placed my arm inside. He took a tablet out of his coat and placed it on the side of the machine and pushed a button. The machine whirred and I felt a small tingle along my arm. It stopped seconds later and I pulled my arm out. Simon lowered the machine slightly and gestured to me.

"Alright, your leg next."

I placed my leg inside and the process was replicated. Simon took out the tablet and examined it. He tapped on it a few times before stowing it.

"Alright. You should be good for rehab pretty soon. Well, that's all. Is there anything that you would like, Riolu?"

I looked up and thought for a second. I gestured to my leg and arm then mimed tapping a tablet just like Simon had done.

He laughed. "Yeah, you can see it. I sent it along to Lilly so you can see it on hers." Simon nodded off to her. "Now, I assume that is all… I'll be going then."

He gave a wave and began to tap on his tablet again as he walked out the door. I looked over to Lilly and made a grabbing motion with my paws. She laughed and complied. Pulling up the readings, she handed it off to me.

The objects I saw were small. I assumed they were my bones. Around where they met a mesh of other bones, red markings were placed where I assumed I had been injured. Small icons were appearing connected to the red marks. I tapped on one and it appeared with what I assumed was information about the injury. I skimmed it over as Lilly stared at me incredulously.

"You can read?"

I nodded, half paying attention.

She whistled. "Your quite smart. Not many pokémon are able to discern more than a few words, typically locations."

I smiled at her praise and continued on. Part of the reason I was so intent on this was specifically due to my lack of knowledge about myself. I have no clue what Riolu typically eat, do, or how they act. I guessed that though it was mostly irrelevant, I should at least give it a shot.

Pressing the icons, I examined the information they gave. The most I was able to discern was what happened to me, but not much about what I'm made of. I handed the tablet back to Lilly and nodded.

"You're done?"

I nodded and looked up at her.

"Anything you need help understanding?"

 _A lot of things…_

I thought for a moment and patted my chest.

"You want to understand more about yourself…?"

I nodded.

"Alright… I'm pretty sure I have some diagrams pulled up from when I began working with you. I'll let you take a look."

She began to tap and scroll around on the tablet before handing it over to me with a folder appearing on the screen. I nodded my thanks and began my Riolu orientated investigation.

.-∆-:-∆-:-∆-.

 _Welcome to gym class. Shall we take attendance? Riolu? Here. Alright, all here. Prepare for tediousness beyond belief. Let's get started._

I looked over at Lilly, unimpressed.

"What? You've been out of commission for eleven days! We have to some kind of rehabilitation to ensure that you can perform normally." She put her hand on her face and muttered, "I swear, you're just like one of my kids."

I huffed and grumbled. Erected before us was a running course and a few obstacle courses that a few pokémon were occupying. Crossing my arms, I looked at Lilly and jerked my head towards the building.

Sighing she shook her head. "No, we cannot go back inside. Come on, all you have to do for me is one lap. Do it fast, and we can finish quicker."

I sighed myself and began 'stretching'.

She gave me a look. "You're just extending your time y'know."

Huffing, I stood on the line and lifted my arms questioningly.

"Ready?"

I nodded off to her.

"Alright, three, two, one, go!"

I sprung up and began to proceed at the amazingly fast pace of a two miles an hour. Lilly sighed behind me.

"Start over!"

I grumbled spun around, walking back to the line. She began fishing around in her waist pocket and produced what I assumed was her phone.

"How about this. If you can get a good time, I'll get you ice cream."

I stroked my nonexistent beard, before sagely nodding off to Lilly.

"All it takes is some ice cream with you..." She sighed. "My pocket change is going to run dry trying to get you to complete everything."

I shrugged and took up my spot.

"Three, two, one… one and a half…"

I looked over my shoulder and gave her a glare.

"Go!"

Now, I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that a small bipedal creature shouldn't run faster than a human thirteen-year-old that is probably three feet taller. I guess I can use the excuse that I'm not human anymore, but still, I was actually kinda fast. I'm pretty sure I broke my barrier of one minute, and when I came to the white line, I didn't even feel tired. I guess the only real downside I can say about myself physically is that I'm a furred bipedal dog, and two, I'm short.

"That's a good time. You're a little above average if I were to factor in the circumstances. I gave you about four seconds considering that your leg should still be a little bad. Next, on to weights."

I glared at her and she sighed.

"Yes, you get an ice cream…"

I smiled to myself, mocking hubris as we walked back inside. She led me over to the far left corner and directed me to a set of weights.

"Alright. Try to find the heaviest one you can and pick it up with your left hand."

I slung my arm around and grabbed what had once been my heaviest to find that it weighed nothing more than a gallon of milk. Grabbing one three sizes up wasn't even that bad for me. Five sizes up and I started to feel a strain. Ten sizes up from that, and it was beginning to get difficult. Five more and I almost reached my limit. Three up and I finally had an issue keeping it up while my wrist began to hurt. But still, that was one hundred and thirty pounds more than what I could usually do. I looked myself over, impressed. Nodding off to Lilly, she tapped it into a tablet.

"Did you stop because of strain or pain?"

I gave a so-so and she marked it down.

"All right… on to grip strength." She motioned towards a rack of what looked like brass knuckles with a calculator on the top. "How hard can you clutch the gripper?"

I shrugged and grabbed the 'gripper' and simply gripped. Slowly scaling the strength, I was able to get to get about fifty pounds of pressure before my wrist started to hurt and I couldn't press much harder. I again gestured to Lilly to show this.

"Alright. That should be all." She sighed. "And yes, I'll get you an ice cream…"

I pumped my fist and she chuckled slightly.

.-∆-:-∆-:-∆-.

Twelve days. They said I would be out in about two more judging by my rate of recovery and recent display. However, though my physical wounds healed, I still was unable to cope with who I had become. Sure, pokémon were– are cool, but I'm not sure how I feel about being one. I'm sure things can themselves out, but there is also the possibility that it won't. And I don't want to feel like this for the rest of my life.

Shawn doesn't exist. The person I used to be never was born or came into being at any point in time here. I'm just Riolu… No, I don't think it's right that I don't have a name. I have to be someone, even if I can't be who or what I was. So then who am I?

Looking down at myself, I clenched my paws.

 _I am Lukas._

* * *

 **That's a chapter done. With that out of the way, I can finally move on to story progression. I'll be introducing some new people soon and we'll finally get out of the hospital.**

 **I've got some 'cover art' now if it can be considered that. It may not look that good, but it's good enough. Whatever. If anyone wants to do some for me, you're more than welcome, 'cause I'm not that good with digital art.**

 **Remember, leaving a comment lets me know what I've done right or wrong, so leave one if you'd like.**


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